Day 4 The Bungle Bungles

 The Bungle Bungles.

 Damien explains how the termites are farmers.

 Leaning against a huge one.

 Cathedral Grove.

 The Bungles from the air.

 Daimen celebrates after he too had a chance to fly.

 Echidna Gorge.

 Collecting firewood on the way back to camp.

Tuesday, September 13^th

We were up at 5, had breakfast and were off by 6. We drove into the Purnululu National Park to see the Bungle Bungles. Damien saw a dingo loping along the road and when we caught up to it it ran into the bush and ran parallel to us for a while before disappearing. He told us dingos are not a native species either and were dogs imported from the southern Asia sometime in the past.

When we arrived and started our walk Damien stopped at a couple of large termite mounds and told us how they are farmers. The termites cut and collect grass, which they cannot eat, and bring it into their colonies where a fungus eats it, and they in turn eat the fungus. He also told us about some of the aboriginal culture in the area and how they survived on the varieties of plants and animals in the area. We hiked to one beautiful spot where you could see the rounded layered sandstone hills, that form the Bungle Bungles. The dark bands are actually caused by bacteria living on the rock and dampness that seeps out of them. Then we walked further in to Cathedral Gorge. We walked into the gorge which narrowed as we went but then opened up. There were huge cliffs on either side and it ended in an amphitheatre with a large pond and an overhang. There were two tour groups here including us, so about 40 people. Without instruction, everyone just seemed to sit down on the loose rocks that had fallen from above over time, and take in the place. Damien started to play one his didgeridoo, which made an awesome sound in this environment. Everyone became dead silent and awestruck, by the sound and the surroundings. A young female trainee guide was sitting on a rock at the back and began to sing a native song. The acoustics were incredible. Even when she finished everyone still sat very quietly taking in the place. It is easy to see how early man became believers in spirits and sacred places. Then slowly we all stirred and left the place and hiked back to camp for our lunch.

After lunch, we had the opportunity to take a scenic flight over the Bungles. Some people had already booked it and since we were there and I would have to wait for the flight to come back, I yielded to my FOMO and decided to go up too. I shared a helicopter with Tomo and Damien. He was very excited because the tour guides don't often get to go up and he hadn't done it for a long time. The flight was forty minutes and took us over the major features of the range. From the air the rounded, banded sandstone formations were even more impressive. When we landed Damien admitted to being nervous and a bit air sick.

All day Damien had been waffling about staying the second night, as the itinerary said, or moving on to save some time on tomorrow's drive so we could do something extra. We had a vote and decided to move on. So, we packed up our camp and drove back to Echidna Chasm where we went on another beautiful walk. Damien didn't come with us because of his cast and the rough terrain. The walk was through a very narrow gorge between incredibly highs walls of conglomerate rock.

I went first and got there about 10 minutes before everyone else and could enjoy the solitude and the atmosphere. Then the gang showed up and as I went back I passed two other tour groups, so I was glad I got in there before it got crowded. Ollie and I took an extra short walk to a lookout over the Ordin Mountain range before walking back to the truck. From there we retraced our drive through the park and back to the main road, stopping to collect some firewood along the way and at another place to watch the sunset.

Damien stopped a Mitusbushi station wagon and told the young couple that they were crazy to drive into the park over that rough road in that type of vehicle. He explained that it was still a long way and if they got stuck they would have to pay a fortune to get towed out.

We got back to the main road after dark and pulled into a free campsite on the side of the highway and set up in the dark. We had a great stir fry dinner and I talked to the three older Germans. I went for a walk in and around the camp and then down the middle of the road to the road to the park entrance. The moon was shining brightly and I had no problem seeing where I was going. I startled a kangaroo on the side of the road and he scared me with his grunting or snorting sound and then he bounded off into the bush. I didn't know they made any sounds.